Van Voort and Vercingetorix, congratulations on an unbelievable struggle! This round is producing some terrific games. Kudos to both of you. Is there any way I can see the replay? I would love to follow your game.

I didn't realize that Stalin was so eloquent. It was probably his speechwriter. It is a great quote. I'll bet you are trying to inspire the troops.

By the way, I don't know if everyone noticed that there is a Stalingrad City of Rubble and Iron scenario that can be combined with Rattenkrieg to make an Overlord battle. I have to say I've never played both together in Overlord but I think it would be pretty interesting.

I'm planning to build it in Vassal for my next Overlord. (I don't know when I'll be able to schedule it yet.)

As we wind down the battle for Sgtalingrad, I have been working hard to finalizing the next set of scenarios. I will be on at 3 P.M. East Coast U.S. time tomorrow to playtest some of them with anyone who would like to get a sneak peek. Thanks.

As we wind down the battle for Sgtalingrad, I have been working hard to finalizing the next set of scenarios. I will be on at 3 P.M. East Coast U.S. time tomorrow to playtest some of them with anyone who would like to get a sneak peek. Thanks.

Eric

Darn, sounds like fun, except I work tomorrow, I work 12pm-8pm EST! Guess I will have to wait for the real thing in the coming rounds, enjoy.

Since we have only one battle left to play, I have posted on the SFTF page our next battle, 'Rzhev, The Meat Grinder'. Unfortunately, you can't play it but you can familiarize yourself with the layout and prepare your strategy. Helcat and I played it and I made some changes to aid one side in this final rendition.

Eric

P.S. Helcat, since your side will get the advantage, please let me know ASAP after Jeronimon and Lucky play where you want me to place your advantage. Also, let Sam know who your 2 point player will be so he can set the lineups.

Hmm, As our unit will be infantry and as it won't have any cover on the back line or give retreat options away, nevertheless I take one unit on the frozen river hex of the vazuza river; If I am allowed to choose a sniper, then a sniper please.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" was Irving Berlin's classic christmas song, immortalized by Bing Crosby in the 1942 Paramount Picture Holiday Inn. Then talented British comic artiest Laurie Taylor used this theme by showing a shivering dejected Hitler sitting forlornly in the snow in this propaganda offering from the venerable Tuck and Sons Ltd.

It captured the plight of the German army outside Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad in 1942, as the Russian winter took it's toll on what initially British and German officers alike thought would be an easy Nazi victory. Unprepared for the frigid cold, many German troops, wearing summer clothing, froze to death; tanks, trucks, planes, and guns failed to function because of the below-zero temperatures. Napoleon's advance a century before was stymied by the Russian winter within sight of Moscow and Hitler suffered the same fate.

Source: Propaganda postcards of World War II by Ron Menchine (ISBN: 1-58221-024-1)

Well, van Voort's song and Jeronimon's propaganda poster sure are appropo for the third round results.

Sam, I just noticed you had mentioned that you were combining both my Stalingrad scenarios into an Overlord one. Don't forget to eliminate the extra engineer unit in Rattenkrieg and make sure that only one sniper has 2 figures. The other reverts to one. I'd love to play it sometime.

Ok, the 4th scenario is up and ready to go. The Russian advantage of a sniper has been positioned. (Helcat, please check that I have him in the right spot.) Helcat will now let Sam know his 2 point player and then Sam can set the lineups and we can begin. Good luck to everyone.

Rzhev: The Meat Grinder. The names of two great scenarios, rolled into one. Rolled? Germans are the masters at making sausages.

I will be the German 2-point player this round, aiming to lead our side to victory. And JAParker and I were talking a couple of nights ago about facing each other one of these days, so now is as good a time as any.

Tips for my team: practise both sides because this scenario can be very tricky due to the movement and weather conditions. Don't run in headlong but use your subtle manouvering skills to get the Germans out of their defensive positions. Note that the German special force tank moves 3 the other tanks only 2.

Tips for my team: practise both sides because this scenario can be very tricky due to the movement and weather conditions. Don't run in headlong but use your subtle manouvering skills to get the Germans out of their defensive positions. Note that the German special force tank moves 3 the other tanks only 2.

@Jeronimon: I am looking forward to this Dutch encounter.

Please also note that there seems to be a bug, as an Infantry Assault on the left flank does not let the engineers remove wire and battle.

Tips for my team: practise both sides because this scenario can be very tricky due to the movement and weather conditions. Don't run in headlong but use your subtle manouvering skills to get the Germans out of their defensive positions. Note that the German special force tank moves 3 the other tanks only 2.

@Jeronimon: I am looking forward to this Dutch encounter.

Please also note that there seems to be a bug, as an Infantry Assault on the left flank does not let the engineers remove wire and battle.

Gents,

Thanks for the helpful hints, now to apply them in order to gain victory!! Subtle? I am about as subtle as a RUSSIAN BEAR in a china shop!!!

Will have to rely on the cover of fog, darkness and snow to replace the subtle skills. Van Voort, nice touch and march song, but darn, sure looks cold!!!!

@Looney,

As last time we fought, look forward to another close and intense battle, 3-0 AXIS for now, hope to nullify your head start!!

Rzhev: The Meat Grinder. The names of two great scenarios, rolled into one. Rolled? Germans are the masters at making sausages.

I just had to bring it up. My family happens to be mostly of German heritage and every year we make 300 pounds of German sausage! We mix the meat with our secret family spices (6th generation recipe), and then stuff it into casings with our antique, hand cranked sausage stuffer! So hopefully this scenario will be right down my alley!

I didn't realize there is a bug. I try to anticipate all of them and let everyone know beforehand. However, this one slipped by me. We will still play it as is. The Allies do have a slight advantage in this scenario. It will make it a little tougher for you guys.

JJ,

That German sausage sounds really good. I'm getting hungry so I think I'll go and have lunch! Oh, by the way, where on the East coast are you? I may have to drive over and get some.

Eric -- I don't think the bug is yours. Perhaps I've just never moved an engineer into close assault with wire before using Inf. Assault. Yes, I did try to battle first. It then happened to my opponent in the rematch...

I don't know if this is a confirmed but or not. I'll need to try again to make sure.

Geoff

Jeronimon wrote on Fri, 01 February 2013 15:03

Geoff did you battle first and tried to remove the wire after or the other way around. I seem to recall you have to battle first and then remove the wire.

Sausages in Minnesota, hmmm. Tempting but I don't think I will be visiting there again it he near future. So I'll take your word for it.

Eric -- I don't think the bug is yours. Perhaps I've just never moved an engineer into close assault with wire before using Inf. Assault. Yes, I did try to battle first. It then happened to my opponent in the rematch...

I don't know if this is a confirmed but or not. I'll need to try again to make sure.

Geoff

Jeronimon wrote on Fri, 01 February 2013 15:03

Geoff did you battle first and tried to remove the wire after or the other way around. I seem to recall you have to battle first and then remove the wire.

Sausages in Minnesota, hmmm. Tempting but I don't think I will be visiting there again it he near future. So I'll take your word for it.

An Engineer unit that is on a hex with wire may battle and remove wire. The unit will reduce the number of Battle
dice it rolls by 1 and also remove the wire from a wire hex. The Engineer unit must be able to battle to remove
wire. It may not make a movement of 2 hexes and remove wire. If the Engineer unit, however, is
order by an
Infantry Assault card, it could move 2 hexes, battle and remove wire, but could not move 3 hexes and remove
wire because it could not battle.

Eric -- I don't think the bug is yours. Perhaps I've just never moved an engineer into close assault with wire before using Inf. Assault. Yes, I did try to battle first. It then happened to my opponent in the rematch...

I don't know if this is a confirmed but or not. I'll need to try again to make sure.

Geoff

Jeronimon wrote on Fri, 01 February 2013 15:03

Geoff did you battle first and tried to remove the wire after or the other way around. I seem to recall you have to battle first and then remove the wire.

Sausages in Minnesota, hmmm. Tempting but I don't think I will be visiting there again it he near future. So I'll take your word for it.

An Engineer unit that is on a hex with wire may battle and remove wire. The unit will reduce the number of Battle
dice it rolls by 1 and also remove the wire from a wire hex. The Engineer unit must be able to battle to remove
wire. It may not make a movement of 2 hexes and remove wire. If the Engineer unit, however, is
order by an
Infantry Assault card, it could move 2 hexes, battle and remove wire, but could not move 3 hexes and remove
wire because it could not battle.

Geoff,

The above is from the FAQ, so according to that...

Eric and Geoff,

Just now played INFANTRY ASSAULT as RUSSIANS on LEFT FLANK, ENGINEERS moved 2, battled and then removed the wire, so that being said....

Rzhev: The Meat Grinder. The names of two great scenarios, rolled into one. Rolled? Germans are the masters at making sausages.

I just had to bring it up. My family happens to be mostly of German heritage and every year we make 300 pounds of German sausage! We mix the meat with our secret family spices (6th generation recipe), and then stuff it into casings with our antique, hand cranked sausage stuffer! So hopefully this scenario will be right down my alley!

Can you send some of them to the front? Our troops are getting hungry.

Eric, just a quick clarification/reminder: we are not allowed to use Behind the Enemy Lines with our anti-tank infantry unit, correct?

Also, on another thread, there is a bug where you can use anti-tank units for BEL. I can't write the scenario to try to avoid this bug so let's all 'play by the rules' and not use this unit for BEL. I've tried to write our scenarios as best I could to avoid these bugs. If anyone comes across one let me know. Sometimes the bug works in our favor. The multi hex medal objectives in Stalingrad are not in the regular scenarios and are a lot of fun. I can make 2 figure snipers and 4 figure Finnish ski troops so there are some that I can take advantage of.

André - Clorofila,

Eric posted this on this thread, page 4, so thought it was agreed upon any SWA got not BEL.

I wont give my final opinion on the scenario yet as there are matches to be played yet.

But I will say this: I feel the battle favors the Germans a little but they, in my opinion, can have a more straight forward strategy. The Russians have more options and more problems and need to choose constantly (also because of only four cards). So whereas the Germans have a better chance at victory I think playing the Russians is much more fun!

More insights later after everybody has played. (If you are not bored of me then )

3 is indeed very little, but 4 can reflect bad chain of commands and bad leadership very well. For this scenario I don't dislike it because you know the enemy also has only four cards. It takes a careful managing of your hand and troops to a higher level.

And it makes it very dangerous to gamble on what card might come next, but now and then you just have to cross your fingers, plunge into the deep end of the pool and hope the next card will support your strategy. (Which it not always does, I can tell you that. )

If you don't like 4 cards(I went round and round on whether to use 4 or 5, but opted on 4 due to very poor communication for both sides and horrible weather) then our final scenario,
'Berlin', where the Axis has only 3 cards, you're really not going to like! I've played it and I thought it was too few but it plays out really well.

By the way, tomorrow I am going to post all my 1943 scenarios(4 or 5). Helcat and Sam will each pick one scenario they would like to play. We will only play 2 scenarios fom 1943.